NBC 'Dateline' sheriff's deputy scrutinized under 'Two Shots Fired'

“Dateline" (NBC) can be seen three nights each week. Fridays at 8/7 p.m. Saturdays at 8/7 p.m. Sundays at 7/6 p.m. Last night's new episode on April 18, 2014 was called, “Two Shots Fired.” In the overnight TV ratings it garnered 6.46 million TV viewers overall. It reached 1.2 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.

“Dateline” is an investigative news program that covers crime in the United States. DennisMurphy reported & narrated last night's episode “Two Shots fired.”

“Two Shots Fired” opened with Thursday September 2010 where Michelle O'Connell & her boyfriend Jeremy Banks attended the concert of an Indie band. They were not a happy couple after a full year of dating. That night, Michelle packed up her personal belongings to leave Jeremy.

Michelle met Jeremy Banks who was a local sheriff's deputy who had a family background in law enforcement. They began to date in 2009 & after 6 months Michelle moved into Jeremy's house. They began fighting which continued for what seemed like a year when Michelle decided to leave him. After that concert in September 2010. Jeremy heard two gunshots coming from inside the house. Michelle apparently committed suicide.

When fellow deputy officer named Debra Maynard arrived at the crime scene. She claimed that Jeremy wanted to stay next to Michelle’s dead body. When he couldn't he became aggressive who had paced back & forth. He claims he was upset & hysterical, but Debra was questioning the crime scene. Michelle was right handed as the gun lay near her left hand. There was a physical laceration on her right eye lid & 50 prescription pain pills in her pant pocket. The prescribed bottles were made out to Jeremy.

Several O'Connell family members didn't buy Jeremy's story. They also didn't believe Michelle killed herself because she lived completely for her daughter. Her brother Scott wanted another police department to take over the investigation. The medical examiner ruled it a suicide.

Was Jeremy an abusive husband? Why didn't the police investigate & ask more questions of the crime scene? What can the family do to find out the truth? You can watch the full episode of “Two Shots Fired” at the official website of “Dateline.”

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Roscoe Pond is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla (Yuma-Tilla), Walla Walla and Cayuse (Ki-Use) native people from the state of Oregon. He received an AA degree in the Liberal Arts from
Blue Mountain Community College and a Bachelor’s degree in the Theater Arts from Portland State University. Roscoe is an Alumnus of the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He served as a guest writer for “Indian Country Today” newspaper and” Native Peoples Magazine.” He covered Native American Entertainment with his popular Blog from 2005 to 2010. Roscoe is a contributing writer for “Yahoo Voices.”